Oscar, Oscar, Oscar

Our beloved Mayor, Oscar Goodman, is at it again. Now he was seen photographing strippers in a strip club and obviously having fun doing it. In a recent poll here, more than half said he was not as outrageous as some claim. You have to put Oscar in context with being Oscar. This is, after all, the guy who was a former Mob lawyer turned Mayor (How Vegas is that?); he's a guy who promotes Bombay Sapphire Gin as the city's Official Cocktail, and when asked by a bunch of third graders a few weeks ago, what would he bring with him on a desert island, he replied "A bottle of gin". Some parents were outraged, outraged I tell you! But Oscar just brushed it off as him being brutally (if politically incorrect) honest. This is also a Mayor who, along with the city council, dressed us as the Village People and sang 'YMCA' downtown.

I like Oscar. A lot, in fact. I met the man twice and have an autographed copy of his book Of Rats and Men about his lawyer days. He truly loves this town and I believe him when he says he's The Happiest Mayor on Earth. Despite what you may have heard, Vegas could use the publicity, what with all the competition we have with other states that have allowed 'gaming'. I'd like to see him run for President in '08. What about it, Mr. Mayor?

But for the rest of us who live in Microwave City, spring has come to an abrupt end. Today is to be the last of the 'tolerable' days at 97. Tomorrow it will be 100 for the first of the season, 102 on Saturday, 103 on Sunday and 105 on Monday.

I also received another 'bad boy' letter from the HOA. It seems no matter what I do (I moved the lawn yesterday, pulled any errant weeds on Tuesday) that matches their 'standards'. I'd love to know what is the 'meaning' of the standards. That we can afford hired help to cut our lawns? We have more money than you? We're better than other low lifes in the Valley?

I'm giving my notice on this place next week. After 14 years in a "Master Planned" community (what does that make the people who live here - serfs? slaves? sharecroppers?). I've had enough. Let some one else deal with these Superior Beings.

And what's up with Donald Trump? All of a sudden he has aplan for the WTC site. As much as I agree with him that the Twin Towers should be built as before with one extra story as defiance to the terrorists, my question to The Donald would be: Where the hell were YOU when the topic was being discussed back in 2001?